Kotor Montenegro The Hidden Gem
Kotor Montenegro is situated on a narrow strip of land wedged between the sea and the hill, San Giovanni. It's also surrounded by water, the Skurda River, the Sea and the Gurdic spring. You can enter the old town of Kotor through one of three gates: Main, North and South. In the past the Main Gate was the typical entrance while the other entrances required lowering the draw bridge. Kotor was founded by the Romans in 168 BC. A nearby town of Perast, about 10 miles from Kotor, hosts two islands, Our Lady of the Rock and St. George. Our Lady of the Rock is a man-made island. It got its beginnings when sailors entered the bay on July 22, 1452. They saw an icon that looked like Madonna and a Child sitting protruded out of the water on a rock. So, after every voyage, sailors would place rocks on the site until eventually an island emerged. Now, every July 22, the locals fill their boats with rocks and add them to the island.